Opika Pende: Africa at 78 RPM is a box set featuring 100 tracks taken from rare 78rpm recordings of African music (1909 to mid-1960s), none of which have ever been issued on CD until now. Pan-African in scope and wildly diverse, Opika Pende is a testament to the deep riches found in early recorded music across the continent. The phrase, "Opika Pende," is a saying in the Lingala language that means "be strong" or "stand firm." It can also mean "resist." The packaging is a 112-page softcover book with 4 CDs in a separate portfolio - all housed in a deluxe cloth slipcase.

The set was compiled by Jonathan Ward, a Los Angeles-based collector, researcher, and writer. In 2007, he began the well-known website Excavated Shellac, which features a wide-range of scarce, international 78rpm records from across the globe with extensive commentary. In 2010, Jonathan released his first LP in a series for Dust-to-Digital's vinyl imprint Parlortone. Titled Excavated Shellac: Strings, the record contains 14 exemplary performances on string instruments from across the globe, all from his collection of 78s.